


Letters Home

by tocasia



Series: Our Shining Past [15]
Category: Final Fantasy VII
Genre: AU, Anger, Angst, Gen, Jealousy, Sephiroth and Zack friendship, kinda sad, loneliness but don't tell him that, mail, the war in Wutai
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-24
Updated: 2017-07-24
Packaged: 2018-12-06 12:17:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 694
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11600475
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tocasia/pseuds/tocasia
Summary: Sephiroth's reaction when the monthly shipment of mail for the troops arrives on the front.(46. family, forgotten) for Seph&Zack Friendship 100 Themes





	Letters Home

**Author's Note:**

> I found it so sad in the original game that Zack hadn't talked to his parents, not only after the five years in the lab, but five years before that also.
> 
>  _'Have you ever met someone in SOLDIER named Zack? I can't believe he hasn't contacted us in 10 years...! ...After all, we're his parents.'_ \- Zack's family in Gongaga, Final Fantasy VII

After a year, the troops correctly referred to Wutai as hell.

Sephiroth sat in his fold-out chair in the shade. It wasn't exactly a bad day. Except, the mail had come.

He had no one to send to, nothing to receive. With his rank and position in the Company, almost anything on the Planet could be his... except for the comforting, written words of someone, anyone, important to him who was not at war. Mother laughed and told him God doesn't need letters from home. He told himself he didn't begrudge the others what they had... much.

He didn't want to be told about the soldiers' families, their unrequited crushes, their civilian friends that they'd soon be too alienated from to relate to. He didn't want them to ask him about those things he didn't have.

A SOLDIER Third with black spiky hair was approaching. Somehow familiar, though he couldn't place it. The man? boy? he was still very young, came closer.

And spoke without being addressed first. "General, Sir. I can't help but notice how lonely you look."

What? How _dare_ this... _person_! The audacity, both to speak out of turn and to suggest, that _he_ , the Great General Sephiroth, could be _lonely_. For anyone to guess that weakness of his was what he detested (feared?) most of all! How had the Third known? He'd practiced his impassive mask in the mirror until even he himself couldn't tell what he was thinking.

Sephiroth shot the impudent SOLDIER a death glare and expected him to fall over or at least flee. If he did, then maybe no further punishment would be necessary. Sephiroth did not trust himself to stop at a reprimand for insubordination.

He didn't fall over. He didn't even back away. Perhaps he should be discharged for mental health reasons. He spoke again!

"I'm sorry I disturbed you Sir." He had the decency to seem apologetic. "I saw that you weren't reading a letter the way the others are, and I wondered about that. I didn't get anything either."

There was no pity on the SOLDIER'S face, which saved his life. Only disappointment at his own situation and some kind of non-judgmental sympathy that Sephiroth had never seen before. That was intriguing. Well, then.

"Oh?"

Good, there was some surprise at the reply. This man understood the rashness of his actions. Which meant he was very brave, indeed.

"I ran away from home to join up, Sir. I haven't heard from my family in years."

Why was he telling him this, wasting his time? Didn't he know how pathetic it sounded? He'd made a choice and it had consequences. But... he'd made another choice to share the information with _General Sephiroth_ , and he wasn't afraid. He wasn't afraid or ashamed to be lonely. Not pathetic, then.

"I see." This was becoming interesting.

"I just thought, that maybe you'd want to hear that you're not the only one, that you're not alone, Sir. But you probably already knew, cause you know everything. I probably misjudged the whole situation from the start. Please forgive me, Sir." He winced, clearly not expecting what he asked for, and stood with his back straight, at attention, ready to receive his sentence with dignity.

Sephiroth realized something. It had been so important to this SOLDIER to say those things to him, to show kindness, that he'd willingly risked his career (life) to do so.

"At ease."

Yes, the surprise returned, confusion, not yet relief. Wary. The Third _had_ demonstrated many good qualities....

"Do not speak of this, and never again approach me so casually. I will let your insubordination slide on one condition. You are to write home to your family _immediately_. You will add your letter to the replies scheduled to be mailed tomorrow. That is an order. If you do not obey, I will discipline you _personally_."

There was the widening of the eyes, the fear, the salute. "Yes Sir!"

It was the most sincere salute he'd ever seen.

The SOLDIER turned smartly to go, and walked back to the camp. Walked! If this man survived the month, Sephiroth decided he'd like to know his name.

 


End file.
